Sally Webster-Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor)

[Hannelene]

I think the affair storyline between kev and molly is not a bad storyline I think most would wish for a different actress to play her.

[Perdita]

Well, we have some budding scriptwriters on here, so you guys need to become involved with the soaps as oon as possible, at least the storylines will always be brilliant and make sense

[tammyy2j]

This is a good storyline for Corrie

[parkerman]

Well, we have some budding scriptwriters on here, so you guys need to become involved with the soaps as oon as possible, at least the storylines will always be brilliant and make sense

I think the next big storyline should involve a visit to a museum...

[Perdita]

Any particular museum in mind, Mr p?

[Hannelene]

I think we shouldn't ask as there are so many dodgy museums around

[Perdita]

What do you mean?

[alan45]

CORRIE star Sally Whittaker has been secretly fighting breast cancer - in a real-life tragedy which mirrors her TV character's storyline.

Millions of fans have been moved by Sally Webster's heart-breaking battle with the killer disease in the soap.

Today we can exclusively reveal how a cruel twist of fate meant actress Sally, 46, was fighting cancer for REAL at the same time.

The mum-of-three was diagnosed six months ago - just before the storyline was filmed.

A source said: "It was a bombshell and horrendous for her. She had just been told about the plans for her character and then she found out she had cancer for real a few days before filming.

"It was utterly horrific. But Sally knew she had to stay strong and vowed to beat it."

The courageous star put her personal battle to one side and selflessly continued filming so the soap could raise awareness of the disease.

The source said: "Many actresses would have pulled out but Sally decided to go ahead. There was never any doubt in her mind that she could battle this."


But viewers knew nothing of her personal agony when Sally told her on-screen family - hubby Kevin and daughters Rosie and Sophie - at Christmas that she had breast cancer in real life.

Astonishingly, just weeks earlier, she had broken the same grim news to her scriptwriter hubby Tim, daughters Phoebe, 15 - an actress on BBC drama Waterloo Road - Hattie, seven, and son Sam, 13.

The source added: "She has been amazing and has tried to remain positive throughout. Her determination, as well as her family's support, has helped her fight."

The actress's nightmare started last autumn when she found a lump in her breast.

The source explained: "At first she didn't panic because she had one before which turned out to be nothing.

"She hoped it would be the same this time. But she went for tests and got the news every woman dreads - that she had breast cancer."

Corrie bosses scheduled filming of her scenes in an intensive block in October so Sally could take time off work for treatment straight afterwards.

She took a six-month break from the soap but is now bravely preparing to return to work.

The source went on: "She has finally turned a corner. She is feeling better and now all she wants to do is get back to Coronation Street."

Soap bosses have revealed they got a positive response from the Websters' moving cancer plot - and hospitals said the number of referrals soared on the back of it.

Ironically, actress Sally spoke out to promote the storyline in September, even revealing a previous cancer scare for the first time and how she has fund-raised for breast cancer charities. At the time she said: "A few years ago I found a lump. Luckily, it proved to be nothing but waiting for the results was agonising.

"So when I was told about this storyline I was determined to do it justice for all the women out there who are going through what Sally Webster is."

Producers worked with a panel of breast cancer experts and charities to make sure the storyline was realistic, and Sally was considered the ideal actress because of her tireless campaigning. She is patron of prevention charity The Genesis Appeal and last year took part in its 10km walk which raised nearly £75,000.

But weeks later, as actress Sally prepared for the most harrowing scenes in her 24 years on Corrie, she was told she had breast cancer too.

Our source said: "It was a huge shock for her. She has always been fit and healthy.

"She discussed her cancer with her family and oncologist and decided she wanted to carry on filming.

"She spoke to the bosses at Corrie and explained she would need time off but she made it clear she was going to fight the cancer."

In the soap, viewers saw Street busybody Sally get the crushing news she had the disease the week before Christmas.


She bravely kept it from her screen daughters, Rosie (played by Helen Flanagan) and Sophie (Brooke Vincent) before breaking down on Christmas Day and blurting it out to cheating hubby Kevin (Michael Le Vell).

Mechanic Kev, who'd been having a fling with neighbour Molly, ended his affair and stood by his wife as she underwent treatment.

What viewers didn't know was that by then the actress was fighting cancer for real and had taken a break from the show. That was explained on screen by saying her character was recuperating with her family outside Weatherfield.


Brave Sally, who joined Corrie in 1986, then had to tell her devastated co-stars Michael, 45, Helen and Brooke.

The source said: "The girls have grown up with her as a second mum. Telling her real family was horrendous but telling Helen and Brooke was nearly as hard.

"They were distraught, as was Mike. He has worked with Sally since day one and he was devastated for her.

"When she told the rest of the cast and crew that her personal life was mirroring her screen life everyone was upset."

It made the emotional Christmas scenes even harder to film. The source continued: "The cast and crew were crying for real.

"It was sad because we knew Sally was going through it all herself in reality, but she was a professional and just got on with it. It was everybody else who fell apart. She seemed so brave. Looking back on those scenes now you can see the true emotion. They're difficult to watch."

At the time, Helen, 19, said the storyline was "really emotional" to film. And Brooke, 17, paid tribute to her stoic performance - but didn't reveal her real-life agony.

She said: "Sally's like our mum. The writing really made us cry. We wanted to get it right because cancer affects a lot of people. Sal was amazing and her performance led us so much."

Now the star is set to return to work and will talk publicly about her cancer ordeal in a magazine interview on Tuesday, donating her fee to breast cancer charities which she has long championed.

The source said: "She is feeling upbeat and can't wait to see all the cast and crew who have been supportive throughout her illness.

"She is speaking with the scriptwriters to make sure everything is realistic.

"Now, sadly, she knows exactly what women go through when they have breast cancer."

[tammyy2j]

Oh god I hope she will be ok

[Chloe O'brien]

How sad is this. First Bernie Nolan and now Sally. How she managed to film those scenes in corrie when she was going through it for real I'll never know. Like Bernie Sally is a fighter and she wil kick this fooking cancer ass.